Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Bad Fruit

Dear Brooklyn,
   Fall is here! This month and last month have been BEAUTIFUL outside and we've been biking or playing outside every night with dad (which is your favorite thing to do) But with fall comes new fruits and veggies in season. Which made me thing of something important.
  Every Monday is grocery shopping day, you and I load up with bags, our list and hopes of adventure :) or at least that's what I call it- hoping we'll have fun! You and I buy lot's of fruits and veggies and depending on where we are shopping you usually have to check the fruit very carefully.. here's why.
  When you buy a container of fruit like strawberries for instance, if there is ONE bad fruit hiding amongst the good fruit- it ALWAYS turns the good fruit around it bad. And on some occasions if I don't see it soon enough it's turned every single piece of fruit bad too. Here's my meaning- Friends like fruit influence those around them. If you have a group of friends and they are all good friends except ONE- get away from that group or that friend. Remember the strawberry? It's just like that with people. One bad fruit has NEVER ever been effected or changed by a whole container of good fruit- weird huh? Well that's it, remember to choose good friends and to be that good friend too :)

I love you my little B!



 Love,
   Mom

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

New Room, Big Love

Dear Brooklyn,
It's July now and we've just moved into our new home! You love it here and are enjoying your new room immensely. You have light blue walls, a fun bed with a tent on top that looks likes stars when you lay down to go to sleep; and dad and I just re-painted his kid dresser for you! There is color everywhere, you are fun and that's what I wanted your new space to be :)
Every morning you wake up to find dad and I on the back porch drinking coffee. You play with the same set of cars from the movie "Cars 2" on the table and eat your breakfast. You and I have so many adventures together but my favorite part of everyday is when we cuddle before your nap. You are extra loving and generous with your affection at this time. You always place your little arm around my neck, tell me you love me and kiss me over and over... you are the best.
As Mr. Bruce says- if I could "put a brick on your head to keep you from growing" I would :)
In the evenings we play with your toys after dinner, or work on house projects together. Just being together, the 3 of us is the BEST. Nothing compares to having you as my son, you light up my life and I'm so grateful for you. (Even when you had an accident and pooped in your pants during your nap today and had to have an impromtu bath, clothes changed, more laundry for me etc.) I truly can't explain my love for you, but it is starting to help me understand the love my parents have for me and our Father's love for us. That He would do anything- give His life for us. Wow. It's still so amazing. In a world where mom's are killing their children and covering it up- I'm so glad we have comfort and hope in our heavenly Father. I promise to do everything in my power to protect you. I'm so excited to be in our new house, to see our little family grow (not pregnant yet) and to see you learn new things! I love you-

Love,
mom

Monday, May 2, 2011

Your New Room

Dear Brooklyn,
I'm really having lot's of fun planning out your new bedroom. You and I found an adorable little twin headboard and footboard at a thrift store for $5!!!! It needs some major TLC and a nice coat of paint, but I can just see it now in my mind all finished :)

We also have a fun red and white dresser for you that used to be your dad's when he was little. Now that's a vintage treasure! You and I also found a Pottery Barn Kids table for your room at a garage sale for $40 (regularly priced at $99) I want to paint the legs white and the top with a colored chalkboard paint. So many projects and now I just need the weather to be better so I can tackle some of them!

I also came up with a cool idea to incorporate your love of Toy Story. I've been buying vintage frames to paint white and I want to do Buzz and Woody Silhouette's. Won't that be fun?

Ok, well there are lot's more projects for your room that I have planned, but no need to put them all down today! I love you little man and I've been having so much fun playing with you.

Your new room is going to be amazing!

Love,
mom

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Like Mom, Like Dad

Dear Brooklyn,
Moving again! Our current Show Home sold and we must move out in the next 8 days. eek. We've been staging homes (that are for sale) with our furniture. BUT we have a house that's being renovated- but not ready for us :( So we'll be living in Marmie & Papa Doc's garage apartment.

Ok can we just agree that it's going to be AWESOME!? They have a heated pool & hot tub about 20 steps away from our room :) I'm sooo excited. I officially started packing this morning and you were not very excited to see some of your toys packed away. But no worries my little man- we'll get them all out again soon!

This afternoon you and I snuggled together for a little bit during your nap time and I was thinking how funny it was that there are things you do exactly like me! And then things you do that are exactly like your dad. I thought I would make you a list :)

Like Mom:
-We both sleep best on our tummies with our hands tucked under our legs
-We both love anything sweet :) or "treats" as you like to call them
-We both love to read (or in your case be read to) before bedtime
-We both have curly hair
-We both LOVE swimming


Like dad:
-Your blue eyes
-You are a morning person
-Your amazingly strong legs (you are already so athletic)
-You both love to laugh
-You both make incredible sound effects! (cars, planes, trains etc.)
-You both love to wrestle and get dirty outside


I know there are so many more- but that's what I thought of for now. Remember even with our differences- I will ALWAYS love you!

Love,

mom

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

No More Dipes

Dear Brooklyn,
Lot's of new things are happening right now, one of them is that you are potty training! Wow. It's pretty crazy in the midst of remodeling our new house, conferences at church, bridal and baby showers and just life moving along!
You absolutely LOVE wearing pull-ups now and not "dipes" (that's what you and I call diapers) You feel so big and grown up and smile the biggest, sweetest smile when you talk about your pull-ups. We've been training about 2-3 weeks now and you go pee on the potty about 1-2 times a day, but mostly do the pee pee hoppy-ing around dance and then hide to go pee in your pull up.
But today you went while we were out shopping at Hobby Lobby!!! I was so proud of you and even though you got pee all over your Woody costume you were wearing... I'm so excited for you!
So lesson learned for mom: bring extra clothes while potty training.

I really cannot believe you are going to be 3 in... 3 months! Where did my baby B go? You talk so well now and it feels like I really have a companion during the day instead of just a listener :)

Recently we've been getting movies from the library for "family movie night" which includes: mom, dad and you sitting on the couch eating popcorn and watching a kids movie :) You love "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" "Toy Story 1,2 & 3" ok most anything Disney :) It's one of my favorite times together- looking at you cuddled up between dad and I.

Let's keep working hard on this potty training thing... you'll get soon!

Love,
mom

Monday, January 24, 2011

Best Dressed

Dear Brooklyn,
Last month your dad and I joined this really cool gym called Sky Fitness. I've been doing really good about getting there about 3-4 times a week and even did an hour cardio session this past Sunday as a "bonus" workout! You aren't interested now in lifting weights or aerobic activity but someday you will be.
Today one if the Sky employees asked how I was enjoying the gym- I said I loved it and so did my son. Then he laughed and mentioned that all the workers loved him and also voted him "Best Dressed in December" - I thought that was pretty cute :) And to top it all off, you went today in your Buzz costume!

I love you in whatever you're wearing!

Love,

mom

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Naked Nu Nu Man

Dear Brooklyn,
Something you've been asking to do lately is to run down the hall...naked :) After a dirty diaper has come off and I've wiped your bottom clean, you ask to run as a "naked nu nu" I think it's so funny that you love being naked so much and that it's such a treat to run while naked.

I'm sure when you're older you will love that I've posted this sweet, mildly personal baby moment~

Love you,

mom

Monday, January 3, 2011

Fatherly Advice

Dear Brooklyn,
Last night we went to a great little place called Chipotle for dinner. Rachel and Aaron met us there after our Ohio trip to see grandma Grace. As we were standing in line a man said to dad "I'll trade you sons" and then laughed, Chris asked how old his son was and the man said 21. Later on he and I started talking and I asked him if he had any advice for new parents, here's what he said:

1.- Document EVERYTHING: you think you will remember all the little things... but you won't. Write it all down .

2.- Time: remember that you only have a short time together, so spend as much of it together as you can, kids acquire 80% of who they will be from birth-3 years old. Don't waist that time- spend it together.

3.- Be very careful who you let them hang out with: their friends will determine their future. Don't worry about hurting your kids feelings or offending their friends.


... He then went on to say that his son was in prison :( He will be sitting in prison instead of living his life, he chose bad friends and they influenced him too much. His son had potential to play college baseball and instead threw his life away. He said briefly is was from alcohol influence as well. His throat was a little horse and he explained he just made it through throat cancer and it made him think about the things that are most important in life. It was his kids and his family. NOT a car, house, clothes or STUFF.

I was thinking about this sweet dad and how sad it must have been for him to be in the hospital with cancer and not have been surrounded by all of his family. I will never forget that man's courage to share his son's failures with a perfect stranger- me.

I want you to know son that the Lord is teaching me daily how precious my time is with you right now. That you will never be young again and just BEING with you is the most important thing. I'm learning that a clean house, the latest fashion or all the stuff I want will never compare to how valuable you are to me.

I love you-

mom